About Amigos de Guatemala

Amigos de Guatemala was founded by Bob and Jan Hatmaker. It began as a partnership of Rotary and other service clubs to provide quality humanitarian service projects in Guatemala. The program began in 2003 with the Rotary Club of Groveland, CA building a school kitchen for a small Maya community (Jaibalito in Lake Atitlan). What the Rotary Club of Groveland began required the support and partnership of other Rotary clubs to continue.

In 2004 Amigos de Guatemala began to focus the majority of their services in the area of Zacualpa, Guatemala. We partner with the Association for Development in Zacualpa non-governmental organization – ADIZ-NGO. ADIZ president (Fredy Argueta) and staff have been dependable, honest and professional in all their partnership responsibilities with Amigos de Guatemala. Since 2004 Amigos de Guatemala has completed over 20 major school development projects in the area of Zacualpa as well as assisting with their local medical needs.

In 2014 Amigos de Guatemala incorporated in California as a not for profit 501c3 corporation in an effort to expand its reach to those underserved in Latin America.

Founders, Bob and Jan Hatmaker are retired PhD. psychologists with a passion for education. It has been through their hard efforts and foresight that Amigos de Guatemala has grown from a desire to help to educating over 100 Mayan young.

Director, Jean Herschede has always had a fondness for Latin America from having been an exchange student to Brazil. Her career in software consulting had her working in various locations “south of the border.” Always wanting to give back, particularly with a focus on education, Jean has been involved with Amigos de Guatemala since 2010.